U.S. Department of Energy’s New Home Energy Score Presents Opportunity for RESNET Home Energy Survey Professionals

On November 9, 2010 Vice President Biden announced the launch of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Home Energy Score pilot program. The Home Energy Score will offer homeowners a straightforward survey about their homes’ energy efficiency. A report provides consumers with a home energy score between 1 and 10, and shows them how their home compares to others in their region. The report also includes recommendations that will help to reduce their energy costs and improve the comfort of their homes.

The Home Energy Score is not a Home Energy Rating. It is rather a tool for a home energy inspector to provide a quick and simple overall assessment of a home’s energy efficiency. Such a tool is perfect for a RESNET Home Energy Survey Professional (HESP). A HESP undertakes a basic energy survey of the home that does not include a whole building analysis. The Home Energy Score will provide a more sophisticated resource developed by the federal government to present to a homeowner over the current checklist. This is a perfect opportunity for home inspectors to receive additional training and certification to become HESPs and provided an added service as part of the home inspection.

The U.S. Department of Energy will require that persons that will be trained to generate the Home Energy Score must be certified by RESNET or BPI.

It is planned that the survey and Home Energy Score will motivate homeowners to get a whole house analysis of the home through a Comprehensive Home Energy Rating and a comprehensive energy upgrade to the home.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced that they pilot the Home Energy Score in the following markets: